Casket-truck.



No. 693,860. -Pat ented Feb. 25, I902 D. B. HISER. GASKET TRUCK.

(Application filed Sept. 25, 1901.)

(No Model.)

bwvwi r KM UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. V

DANIEL B. HISER, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE SPRINGFIELD METALLIC CASKET COMPANY, OF SPRINGFIELD, 01-110, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

CASKET-TROCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 693,860, dated February25, 1902.

Application filed September 25, 1901. Serial No. 76,498. (No modeli) T0 or whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DANIEL B. HISER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Casket-Trucks, of which the following is a specification.

, My invention relates to a casket-truck, and more especially to a truck that can be folded and put in a compact and convenient form for easy transportation.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and strong construction that can be locked in its open position and easily closed in the most compact form and carried from place to place. I attain this object by the constructions and combinations hereinafter described, and set forth in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a truck embodying my device in its open position, Fig. 2 in its closed position, and Fig. 3 is a detail showing the inwardly-inclined caster-bearing bar.

' Like parts are represented by similar letters of reference in the several views.

In constructing my device I employ side frames in the nature of lazy-tongs having the bars a, a, a and a pivoted together at their centers and upper extremities 'by the crossrods 1), b, and 12 which also connect the two side frames, and said bars are pivoted together at their ldwer extremities by the bolts or pins b or in any other suitable manner. On the respective ends of the axle c of the carrying-wheels c I mount the brackets 0 to which I rigidly attach the bars a of the side frames, and the bars a of the respective side frames I incline inwardly at a (see Fig. 3,) and their lower ends a are formed into a bearing in which the casters cl are pivotally mounted. The lower extremities of the bars a, a, and a I connect together by the links 9 e, pivoted at their outer ends to the bolts or pins 19 and at their inner ends to the perforated ears 6 on the handle-bar f, thus forming toggle-joints. The handle-bars f of the respective side frames are connected at the top by the cross-rod b and the cross-rod 1) extends through the slots f in each of the handle-bars f, so that when the frames are in their open positions the upper ends of these slots engage the cross-rod b to hold the links e in their horizontal positions to lock the frame from movement in either direction.\ It 5 5 is obvious that this toggle-joint could be rranged at the upper extremities of the bars, but I preferably arrange the same at the lower extremities, for the reason that by this construction the cross-rod b can be used as a handle to lift the handle-bars release the lock, and close the frame. The bars a and a are further'connected by the cross-rods b and the bars'a by the cross-rods b The wheels are preferably provided with rubber tires 0 and d.

To strengthen the forward ends of the frames, I pivot to the bar a of the respective frames the stay-rod g, having the hook end 9 to engage a pin on the bar a said stayrod g being pivotally connected at 9 by the lever g to the cross-rod 11 so that in closing the frames the movement is such the hook end g disengages from the pin and the stayrod closes with the frame, as shown in Fig. 2.

It will be seen that the stay-rod not only strengthens the caster-bearing end of the frame, but also furnishes an additional look.

It will be seen that when the car is in its folded position,as shown in Fig. 2, it may be readily opened, the handle-bars fslidin g down until the upper ends of the slots f engage the cross-rod b, when the links a 6 will be held in their horizontal position, and thereby lock the frames in their open position from movement 'in either direction, and using the cross rod b as a handle the handle-bars f may be readily lifted, thereby releasing the lock and allowing the frame to be easily folded in its closed position, and by reason of the casters being pivoted to the inclined bars a they will, when the frame is folded, come within the wheels a, forming a very compact arrangement of the parts. By using the axle and carrying-wheels at one end and the two cas- 5 folded position,- substantially as specified.

2. The combination with the horizontal lazytongs side frames,cross*rodspivotallyconnecting said frames, of a vertically-movable frame consisting in part of upright handle-bars having link connections pivoted to the lower extremities of the bars of each side frame, said handle-bars further having vertical slots to engage one of said cross-rods to limit the movement of said vertically-movable frame, whereby the lowering of said vertically-movable frame will lock said side frames in their open position from movement in either direction, and the lifting of said vertically-movable frame will unlock and close said side frames into their folded position, substantially as specified.

3. The combination with carrying-wheels, their axle, and brackets journaled on said axle, lazy-tongs side frames rigidly attached at one end to said brackets, inwardly-inclined bars at the other end, and a caster-wheel pivoted to each of said bars, of a vertically-movable frame consisting in part of upright handle-bars having link connections pivoted to the lower extremities of the bars of each side frame, said handle-bars further having vertical slots to engage one of said cross-rods to limit the movement of said vertically-mow able frame, whereby the lowering of said vertically-movable frame will lock said side frames in their open position from movement in either direction, and the lifting of said vertically-movable frame will unlock and close said side frames into their folded position, substantially as specified.

4. The combination with the end casterbearing bar, and the adjacent bar pivoted thereto, of a stay-rod pivoted to said end bar and detachably connected to said adjacent bar, said rod being also pivotally connected by a link to the pivot of said bars, substantially as specified.

5. The combination with the horizontal lazytongs side frames having carrying cross-rods at thei r upper extremities,of a vertically-movable frame pivotally connected to said side frames and having another portion loosely connected to said side frames, adapted to lock said side framesin their open position, said movable frame having a cross-rod at its upper end, which, when said side frames are in their open position, is in line with said car= rying-rods, substantially as specified.

6. The combination with the end caster bearing bar and the adjacent bar pivoted thereto, of a stay-rod pivoted to said end bar and detachably connected to said adjacent bar, and means to automatically disconnect same by the closing of the side frames, sub stantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 21st day of September, A. D. 1901.

DANIEL B. I-IISER.

\Vitnesses:

PERCY NORTON, CHAS. I. WELCH. 

